Geothermal heating and cooling system and method

ABSTRACT

A method of providing a geothermal heating and cooling system for a building having the steps of designing and installing a geothermal heat pump and loop field system to a customer&#39;s building; calculating a periodic fee to be charged to the customer; measuring the actual geothermal system usage; and charging the customer the periodic fee which is comprised of a base fee and a usage charge based on the amount the system is in operation.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The invention is in the field of providing a utility and determining therate that should be charged.

2. Description of the Related Art

The price of using fossil fuel or electricity to heat and cool buildingshas been increasing, and is expected to increase for the foreseeablefuture. Therefore, many people are turning to geothermal energy for aless expensive alternative.

Over the life of a building, geothermal heating and cooling is lessexpensive than many alternatives. However, the up front cost ofinstalling geothermal systems is considerably higher compared toalternative heating and cooling systems. For this reason, many people donot consider installing geothermal in their buildings.

In the field of solar hot water systems, one solution that has beentried is disclosed in US Pat. App. Pub. No. 2008/0027883 A1 by Reddy etal. Reddy discloses a business method for providing a utility andcalculating a rate to charge the customer that is not based on energyusage. Reddy only discusses solar hot water, and specifically that therate charged is not based on the amount of energy used.

Another example in the solar field is disclosed in US Pat. App. Pub. No.2008/0091626 A1 and US App. Pub. No. 2008/0091626 A1, both by Kremen.The primary examples in these publications involve photovoltaic solarpower, not geothermal heating and cooling. The disclosures teach thecreation of financial instruments to purchase, lease, and maintainconsumer premises equipment, and provides for shutting off the power ofthe consumer stops paying.

None of these references apply directly to geothermal heat pumps orgeothermal loop fields, and none provide any incentive for the customerto save energy. What is needed, therefore, is a system and method forfinancing the installation of a geothermal heating and cooling systemsand charging a fee based on an output related to energy usage.

SUMMARY

The invention is a system and method that satisfies the need forfinancing the installation of geothermal heating and cooling systems andcharging a fee, and is based on an output related to energy usage. Asystem according to the present invention comprises a geothermal heatpump; a warm leg connected to the geothermal heat pump, the warm legbeing substantially covered by ground for collecting heat from theground; a cold leg connected to the geothermal heat pump and the warmleg, the cold leg being substantially covered by ground; an inlet ductconnected to the geothermal heat pump drawing cool air in; an outletduct connected to the geothermal heat pump for warm air to exit; asensor connected to the geothermal heat pump system that detects theamount that the system is in operation; calculating means forcalculating a periodic usage fee to a user based on the amount thesystem is in operation; and means for turning off the system in theevent the periodic fees are not paid. A method according to the presentinvention comprises the steps of designing and installing a geothermalheat pump and loop field system to a customer's building; calculating aperiodic usage fee to be charged to the customer; measuring the actualgeothermal system usage; and charging the customer the periodic usagefee. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with regard to the followingdrawings, description, and claim.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system and apparatus according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a process flow chart showing the method of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is a process flow chart showing details of one of the steps inthe method of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION

Turning to FIG. 1, a geothermal heat pump (“GHP”) system that is used inthe present invention has a GHP 102 at its core. If the GHP system isused for heating, a heat transfer medium is warmed by the ground or aloop field 108 or other geothermal heat source, and travels up its warmleg 104 to the GHP 102. As used in this specification and claims theterm “ground” and “loop field” are synonymous. The heat is transferredto air, for example, in an outlet duct 112. Cool air is returned via aninlet duct 110, and is cleaned by an optional air filter 118. The heattransfer medium, after transferring its heat, is returned to the earthdown a cold leg 106 for reheating. If the GHP system is used forcooling, the flows are reversed. It is intended that this specification,drawings, and claims cover the reversed cycle as if they were rewrittento show the reverse cycle, even though only the forward, heating cycleis shown.

The warm leg 104 may have a warm leg circulation pump 114 to pump theheat transfer medium through the GHP 102. The cold leg may also have acold leg circulation pump 116 to pump the heat transfer medium throughthe GHP 102. It is understood that one or more pumps may be needed.Sensors and meters that directly or indirectly measure the amount thesystem is used may also be coupled with the warm leg 104, its pump 114,the cold leg 106, or its pump 116. Examples include, but are not limitedto, flow meters, temperature sensors, pressure sensors, timers thatcount how long a pump is operating, and power meters for the pumps.

In one embodiment, a warm leg sensor 120 can be provided connected tothe geothermal heat pump system. The warm leg sensor could be a flowmeter, temperature sensor, or a pressure sensor. A cold leg sensor 122can also be provided, which could also be a flow meter, temperaturesensor, or a pressure sensor.

In the same or another embodiment, a warm leg circulation pump sensor124 and/or a cold leg circulation pump sensor 126 could be provided.They would be connected to the respective pumps can could be timers orpower meters.

In the same or yet another embodiment, a GHP sensor 132 could beconnected elsewhere in the system, and could be one of the types listedabove.

A calculating means for calculating a periodic usage fee to a user basedon the amount the system is in operation is also provided. Thecalculating means is preferably a computer storage media electricallyconnected to at least one of the sensors, the computer storage mediacontaining software programming steps that calculate the periodic usagefee to a user based on the amount the system is in operation.

Furthermore, a means for turning off the system in the event theperiodic fees are not paid is also connected to the system. The meansfor turning off the system could be a means 118 connected to the warmleg circulation pump 114. The means for turning off the system couldalso be a means 130 connected to the cold leg circulation pump 116.Another means 132 could be connected to the GHP elsewhere in the system.The means 118, 130, 132 used could be at least one electric switch orfluid valve. It might also be a computer command issued to those devicesfrom a computer.

The method of the invention is to provide the system shown in FIG. 1with no up front cost to the customer while generating a profit to thevendor. Turning to FIG. 2, a vendor will evaluate, design, and install ageothermal system for heating and/or cooling a building 202. The design,equipment, and labor are provided as a package. The designer willcalculate the expected periodic usage rate for the equipment andlocation as a part of the design. The vendor and customer will likelyenter into a long-term contract before the vendor does any installation.

The vendor, either before or after the design and installation, mustcalculate a periodic fee to charge the customer 204. The periodic feewould be based on regular periodic payments, for example, monthly. Thebase fee would be calculated using a base fee, item 220 in FIG. 3, and ausage charge, described below.

While the system is in use, the amount of actual use would be measured206 by sensors and meters, such as those listed above. Then the periodicusage fee will be determined and actually charged to the customer 208.The periodic usage fee is calculated by multiplying the periodic fee bythe actual use during the period typically monthly.

Finally, the vendor will be able to turn off system if the customer doesnot pay in a timely manner 210. The means for turning off the systemwould preferably be by disabling the GHP 102 or circulation pumps 114,116, although other means could be used, like electric switches or fluidcontrol valves.

FIG. 3 provides details about the step of calculating the periodic basefee 204. It is an economic calculation having as inputs the cost of theequipment 212, cost of design and installation 214, required rate ofreturn for the vendor 216, predicted usage 218, and service andmaintenance costs 222 for the equipment and location. All of thesefactors and possibly more go into calculating the base fee 220.

There are many benefits of the system and method of the presentinvention over the prior art. One of the benefits is that the customerdoes not have to pay for the up front capital costs, which typicallyincludes a high cost for drilling. Also, the vendor receives along-term, predictable stream of income. In addition, the customerand/or vendor may be able to take advantage of financing and taxincentives for the installation of a clean energy system that replaces afossil-fueled furnace. Finally, the customer has some control over theamount he or she pays by changing the amount of usage. There is someincentive for conservation and for turning down the heat or airconditioning when the building is unoccupied.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed herein, the above description is merely illustrative. Furthermodification of the invention herein disclosed will occur to thoseskilled in the respective arts and all such modifications are deemed tobe within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claim.

1. A geothermal heating and cooling system comprising: a geothermal heatpump; a warm leg connected to the geothermal heat pump, the warm legbeing substantially covered by ground for collecting heat from theground; a cold leg connected to the geothermal heat pump and the warmleg, the cold leg being substantially covered by ground; an inlet ductconnected to the geothermal heat pump drawing cool air in; an outletduct connected to the geothermal heat pump for warm air to exit; asensor connected to the geothermal heat pump system that detects theamount that the system is in operation; means for calculating a periodicusage fee to a user based on the amount the system is in operation; andmeans for turning off the system in the event the periodic usage fee isnot paid.
 2. The geothermal heat pump system of claim 1, wherein thesensor is selected from the group consisting of a flow meter, atemperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a timer, and a power meter. 3.The geothermal heat pump system of claim 1 further comprising a warm legcirculation pump connected to the warm leg for pumping a heat transfermedium through the geothermal heat pump.
 4. The geothermal heat pumpsystem of claim 1 further comprising a cold leg circulation pumpconnected to the cold leg for pumping a heat transfer medium through thegeothermal heat pump.
 5. The geothermal heat pump system of claim 3wherein the means for turning off the system is an electric switchconnected to the warm leg circulation pump.
 6. The geothermal heat pumpsystem of claim 4 wherein the means for turning off the system is anelectric switch connected to the cold leg circulation pump.
 7. Thegeothermal heat pump system of claim 1, wherein the means for turningoff the system is a fluid valve connected to the warm leg or the coldleg.
 8. The geothermal heat pump system of claim 1, wherein the meansfor turning off the system is a fluid valve connected to the warm leg.9. The geothermal heat pump system of claim 1, wherein the means forturning off the system is a fluid valve connected to the cold leg. 10.The geothermal heat pump system of claim 1, the means for calculating aperiodic usage fee to a user comprising computer storage mediaelectrically connected to the sensor, the computer storage mediacontaining software programming steps that calculates the periodic usagefee to a user based on the amount the system is in operation.
 11. Amethod of providing a geothermal heating and cooling system for abuilding comprising the steps of: designing and installing a geothermalheating and cooling system to a customer's building; calculating aperiodic fee to be charged to the customer; measuring the actualgeothermal system usage; and charging the customer the periodic fee, theperiodic fee comprising a base fee and a usage charge based on theamount the system is in operation.
 12. The method of claim 11, where themeasuring step is at least one selected from the group consisting ofmeasuring flow, measuring temperature, measuring pressure, measuringtime the system is used, and measuring power.
 13. The method of claim 11wherein the calculating step calculates a base fee based on cost ofequipment, cost of designing and installing the system, rate of returnto the vendor, predicted use of a geothermal system, service costs, andmaintenance costs.
 14. The method of claim 11 further comprising thestep of shutting off the geothermal heat pump system if the customerdoes not remit the fee charged.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein thestep of shutting off the geothermal heating and cooling system isturning off an electric switch or closing a fluid valve.